Automatic quantification of MS lesions in 3D mri brain data sets: Validation of INSECT

Abstract

In recent years, the quantitative analysis of MRI data has become a standard surrogate marker in clinical trials in multiple sclerosis (MS). We have developed INSECT (Intensity Normalized Stereotaxic Environment for Classification of Tissues), a fully automatic system aimed at the quantitative morphometric analysis of 3D MRI brain data sets. This paper describes the design and validation of INSECT in the context of a multi-center clinical trial in MS. It is shown that no statistically significant differences exist between MS lesion load measurements obtained with INSECT and those obtained manually by trained human observers from seven different clinical centers.